Transfer elevator for integral and collar tubing

ABSTRACT

A transfer elevator for handling pipe. The pipe may or may not include collars. An elastic element such as a spring holds slips in a retracted position until the elevator reaches the desired setting location on the pipe. A force is applied downward on a rope attached to the elevator body thereby causing movement of a lever and the setting of the slips. The weight of the pipe maintains the slips in position firmly gripping the pipe until the pipe is set down and the weight is removed. The slips automatically unset and the elevator travels along the pipe to a desired position for removal.

United States Patent [191 Brackin [451 Sept. 10, 1974 TRANSFER ELEVATOR FOR INTEGRAL AND COLLAR TUBING [75] Inventor: Wayne L. Brackin, Warren, Tex.

[73] Assignee: Dresser Industries Inc., Dallas, Tex.

[22] Filed: Mar. 12, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 340,158

[52] US. Cl. 294/104, 24/249 DP, 294/92 [51] Int. Cl. B66c 1/44 [58] Field of Search 294/86 R, 91, 92, 101, 294/102 R, 102 A, 103, 104, 111, 112;

24/249 SL, 249 DP, 249 PP, 263 CA, 263

DH, 263 DJ, 263 DL [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 612,061 10/1898 Shambaugh 24/249 DP 702,334 6/1902 Schulte et al. 294/104 713,485 11/1902 Neumeier 294/104 1,214,417 1/1917 Bishop 294/104 1,837,990 12/1931 Otis 24/263 CA 1,888,083 11/1932 2,634,157 4/1953 Haddock 294/104 2,636,771 4/1953 Schneider 294/104 Primary Examiner-Evon C. Blunk Assistant Examiner-Johnny D. Cherry Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Eddie E. Scott [5 7] ABSTRACT A transfer elevator for handling pipe. The pipe may or may not include collars. An elastic element such as a spring holds slips in a retracted position until the elevator reaches the desired setting location on the pipe. A force is applied downward on a rope attached to the elevator body thereby causing movement of a lever and the setting of the slips. The weight of the pipe maintains the slips in position firmly gripping the pipe until the pipe is set down and the weight is removed.

The slips automatically unset and the elevator travels along the pipe to a desired position for removal.

3 Claims 3 Drawing Figures PAIEN IE1 SEP 1 01914 SHEET 2 [IF 3 FIG. 2

TRANSFER ELEVATOR FOR INTEGRAL AND COLLAR TUBING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The development of elevators for handling pipe in and out of well bores is discussed in The History of Oil Well Drilling by J. E. Brantley, Gulf Publishing Company, 1971, pages 9SO960. The first tools for handling pipe probably were rope slings and clamps. In 1869, various forms of tube clamps were developed for handling pipe. Later elevators included slips that would move into contact with the pipe. An importantdisadvantage of these prior art elevators is that they must be manipulated manually. Some of the prior art elevators are heavy and awkward and the handling of these elevators creates difficulties.

DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART In US. Pat. No. 702,334 to L. N. Schulte et al., pa tented June 10, 1902, a pump pipe grapple is shown. The pump pipe grapple includes a stock having a rigid jaw on one side and a cam lever and a shoe jaw pivoted to the stock opposite the rigid jaw. In handling pipe, the rigid jaw contacts the pipe and the shoe jaw is moved into contact with the pipe by the cam lever.

In US. Pat. No. 1,473,724 to R. H. Gibson, patented Nov. 13, 1923, a pump pipe lift is shown. The pump pipe lift includes a convexed member having a serrated concaved interior for application to one side of a pipe, a lever having a serrated concaved interior for applica tion to the other side of the pipe and means connected to the lever for lifting the pipe.

In US. Pat. No. 2,584,902 to G. W. Miller, patented Feb. 5, 1952, a device for extracting pipes from wells is shown. The device includes a U-shaped yoke, a lever connected to the yoke and a chain connected to the lever for lifting the device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an elevator for handling pipe for use in raising and lowering sections of pipe from and into wells and for analogous uses. The elevator of the present invention can be used to handle pipe or tube sections that do not have an upset or collar surface. The entire weight of the elevator of the present invention is supported by an elastic means until the elevator reaches the desired setting location on the pipe. A force is applied downward on a line attached to the elevator thereby setting the slips. The weight of the pipe keeps the slips holding firmly in place until the pipe is set down and the weight is removed. The above and other features and advantages of the present invention may be obtained from a consideration of the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side view of an elevator constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of an elevator constructed in accordance with the present invention with the slips set in engagement with the pipe.

FIG. 3 is a side view, partially in section, of another embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to FIG. 1, a side view of an elevator constructed in accordance with the present invention is shown. The elevator, generally designated by the reference number 10, may be connected to the traveling block of a rig (not shown) or to other power means by an anchor shackle 11. A wire rope 12 passes through the anchor shackle 11 and over wire rope thimble 13. The end of the wire rope 13 is firmly secured to an intermediate section of the rope by clamps l4 and 15 thereby securing the wire rope 12 to the anchor shackle 11. The lower end of the wire rope 12 is looped over the outer end of a lever 16 and the loop is closed by a clamp 17 thereby securing the lower end of the wire rope 12 to lever 16.

A spring 18 is positioned between an intermediate section of the wire rope 12 and the body 19 of the elevator 10. A clamp 20 connects the upper end of the spring 18 to the wire rope l2 and the lower end of the spring 18 is connected to the body 19 of elevator 10. The spring 18 in a substantially unflexed condition will support the entire weight of elevator 10. A sheave 21 is rotatably connected to the body 19 by a pin 22. The wire rope 12 passes beneath sheave 21 insuring free movement of wire rope 12.

A section of pipe 23 (shown in phantom) fits within an opening 24 in the body 19 of elevator 10. A latch 25 is rotatably connected to the body 19 of the elevator 10 by a pin 26. A nut 27 and key 28 maintain the latch 25 connected to the body 19. A stop clip 29 holds the latch 25 in the up position. The latch 25 is shown in phantom in the down position wherein the outer end of latch 25 is in engagement with a latch plate 30. The latch plate 30 fits over a pair of bolts 31 and 32 protruding from the body 19 of the elevator 10. The latch plate 30 includes horizontal slots to adjust the position of latch 25 to the pipe. A pair of nuts 33 and 34 selectively secure the latch plate to the body 19 of the elevator l0. Latch plate 30 includes an upwardly opening slot for receiving the outer end of latch 25.

Lever 16 is rotatably connected to the body 19 of elevator 10 by a pin 35. A safety pin 36 locks pin in place. A slip block 37 is rotatably connected to the force arm 38 of lever 16 by a pin 39. Slip inserts 40 and 41 are secured in the slip block 37. Additional holes 42 and 43 provide flexibility to the apparatus thereby allowing it to be used with pipes of different diameters by allowing adjustment of the position of pin 35 and lever 16. A rope 44 is connected to the elevator body 19 by a bracket 45.

The structural details of an elevator constructed in accordance with the present invention having been described, the operation of the elevator 10 will now be considered. With latch 25 in the up position, the elevator 10 is moved to a position wherein the section of pipe 23 fits within opening 24 in the elevator body 19. The opening 24 is a C-shaped opening when viewed from above. When the latch 25 is moved to the down position, it closes the open end of the C-shaped opening. With the latch 25 closed, the: elevator 10 is locked to the pipe 23 by pulling on the rope 44. This elongates the spring 18 thereby causing the lever 16 to move rela' tive to body 19. The slip inserts 40 and 41 come into contact with the section of pipe 23 and elevator 10 is firmly engaged with the pipe 23. The weight of pipe 23 maintains the spring 18 in an elongated condition and the pipe 23 remains secured to the elevator 10.

Referring to FIG. 2, spring 18 has become elongated because of the weight of pipe 23. The outer end of lever 16 has been pulled upward by wire rope 12 thereby moving the slip inserts 40 and 41 into engagement with pipe 23. A substantial portion of the weight of pipe 23 is carried by the lever 16 and wire rope 12. The slip insorts 40 and 41 will remain in engagement with pipe 23 until the weight of pipe 23 is removed from wire rope 12.

The pipe 23 is transported to a desired location and set down. Once the weight of pipe 23 is removed, the spring 18 will return to the unflexed condition shown in FIG. 1. The lever 16 will move downward and the slip inserts 40 and 41 will release their grip on the pipe 23. The elevator will slide down the pipe 23 and it can be removed by lifting latch and moving elevator 10 outward from the pipe 23.

Referring now to FIG. 3, another embodiment of the present invention is shown. This embodiment of the elevator, generally designated by the reference number 46, may be connected to the traveling block of a rig (not shown) or to other power means by an anchor shackle 47. A wire rope 48 passes through the anchor shackle 47 and over wire rope thimble 49. The end of the wire rope 48 is firmly secured to an intermediate section of the rope by clamps 50 and 51 thereby securing the wire rope 48 to the anchor shackle 47. The lower end of the wire rope 48 is looped over the outer end of a lever 52 and the loop is closed by a clamp 53 thereby securing the lower end of the wire rope 48 to lever 52.

Lever 52 is rotatably connected to the body 54 of elevator 46 by a pin 55. A slip block 56 is rotatably connected to the force arm 57 of lever 52 by a pin 58. Slip inserts 59 and 60 are secured in the slip lock 56. A spring 61 is connected between the force arm 57 of lever 52 and the body 54 of elevator 46. A rope 62 is connected to the elevator body 54 by a bracket 63.

A section of pipe 64 will fit within an opening 65 in the body 54 of elevator 46. A movable latch (not shown) holds the pipe 64 in position in the elevator 46. A sheave 66 is rotatably connected to body 54 of elevator 46 by a pin 67. The wire rope 48 passes beneath sheave 66 insuring free movement of wire rope 48.

The structural details of another embodiment of an elevator constructed in accordance with the present invention having been described, the operation of the elevator 46 will now be considered. The elevator 46 is moved to a position wherein the section of pipe 64 fits within opening 65 in the elevator body 54. The opening 65 is a C-shaped opening when viewed from above. The latch (not shown) closes the open end of the C-shaped opening to secure the pipe 64 in position in the elevator. The elevator 46 is locked to the pipe 64 by pulling on the rope 62. This elongates the spring 61 thereby causing the lever 52 to move relative to body 54. The slip inserts 59 and 60 come into contact with the section of pipe 64 and elevator 46 is firmly engaged to the pipe 64. The weight of pipe 64 maintains the spring 61 in an elongated condition and the pipe 64 remains secured to the elevator 46.

The pipe 64 is transported to a desired location and set down. Once the weight of pipe 64 is removed, the spring 61 will return to the unflexed condition. The lever 52 will move downward and the slip inserts 59 and 60 will release their grip on the pipe 64. The elevator 46 will slide down the pipe 64 and it can be removed.

The embodiments of the invention in which as exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An elevator for lifting a section of pipe, comprising:

an elevator body, a movable slip associated with said elevator body for contacting and gripping said section of pipe,

actuator means associated with said elevator body and said movable slip for selectively moving said slip into and out of contact with said section of pipe,

a cable connected to said actuator means for lifting said section of pipe, and

elastic means connected between said cable and said body for selectively supporting said body.

2. The elevator of claim 1 wherein said elastic means is a spring connected between said cable and said body.

3. A pipe elevator for lifting a section of pipe, comprising:

an elevator body for receiving said section of pipe,

a movable slip associated with said elevator body,

said slip movable to a position contacting and gripping said section of pipe,

actuator means associated with said elevator body and said moveable slip for selectively moving said slip,

a cable connected to said actuator means for lifting said section of pipe, and

a spring connected between said cable and said elevator body for selectively supporting the weight of said elevator body, said spring being capable of supporting substantially all of the weight of said elevator body but incapable of supporting the weight of said elevator body plus said section of pipe. 

1. An elevator for lifting a section of pipe, comprising: an elevator body, a movable slip associated with said elevator body for contacting and gripping said section of pipe, actuator means associated with said elevator body and said movable slip for selectively moving said slip into and out of contact with said section of pipe, a cable connected to said actuator means for lifting said section of pipe, and elastic meAns connected between said cable and said body for selectively supporting said body.
 2. The elevator of claim 1 wherein said elastic means is a spring connected between said cable and said body.
 3. A pipe elevator for lifting a section of pipe, comprising: an elevator body for receiving said section of pipe, a movable slip associated with said elevator body, said slip movable to a position contacting and gripping said section of pipe, actuator means associated with said elevator body and said moveable slip for selectively moving said slip, a cable connected to said actuator means for lifting said section of pipe, and a spring connected between said cable and said elevator body for selectively supporting the weight of said elevator body, said spring being capable of supporting substantially all of the weight of said elevator body but incapable of supporting the weight of said elevator body plus said section of pipe. 